Futhark? What's a Futhark?

The first six runes of the Norse alphabet are the representation of the sounds that create the word 'futhark.' Rune stones -- large stones with runic inscriptions -- have been discovered in Heavener, Oklahoma, and in Kensington, Minnesota. Are they authentic? Did Vikings in fact travel deeper into the continent than Leif Eiriksson's camp in Newfoundland (pronounced New-FOUND- lund by Canadians).

Futhark - the runic alphabet

Man has always been a seeker of adventure, curious, a creature desirous of finding out what is around the next corner. If a camp was created in the Americas, as has now has been firmly established via archaeological evidence, then what kept one or two or more of those curious souls from wandering deeper into the continent?

I would go. Would you?

Unfortunately in both cases -- Heavener and Kensington -- skeptics step forward to call fraud. But are they? The runes are intricately carved in stone, to what end? What does one have to gain spending endless hours creating these intricate tools of communication, these works of art, just to fool us?

We were taught that Columbus "discovered" America. I agree that his exploration led to the era of European colonization around the world (for better or worse is another topic altogether) but "discover"? There have been people wandering the Americas for millenia. Many of them left behind the artifacts of their journeys. We're finding new evidence everyday.

The rune stones left by the wandering Norse people are written using the Futhark, their alphabet. I for one believe the Vikings were explorers. They are infamous because of their raids in northern Europe, but they were human and humans are curious beings. The Futhark will help us to understand.

Several runes figure prominently in the saga Dance of the Hummingbirds. Lars Svensson will eloquently explain them to you.